NZ struggling to fill radiation therapy jobs

By KEVIN TAYLOR

Waikato Hospital failed to lure a group of Australian radiation therapists to Hamilton after they chose to go to Canada, where pay rates are higher.

The hospital tried to recruit a group of four to six therapists from either Brisbane or Melbourne to make three, six-week visits to Hamilton this year to help tackle cancer waiting lists.

Community services general manager Robin Steed said the hospital had not even got to the stage of offering the therapists an employment package before they chose to go to Canada.

"They are not there to buy. It means we have to keep looking inside New Zealand."

In February, 53 patients at Waikato Hospital were waiting longer than the nationally recommended month-long waiting time for cancer treatment. Currently 42 are waiting outside that limit.

New Zealand is short of 24 therapists at its six cancer centres.

A worldwide shortage of radiation therapists and oncologists started about five years ago as more cancers became treatable, said Health Ministry cancer treatment services manager Vincent Pileggi.

Ironically, Mr Pileggi has resigned to take up a position heading a cancer treatment centre in his home country of Canada.

He said radiation therapy graduates in New Zealand, Canada and Australia were paid about the same - $33,000. But New Zealand radiation therapists with three to eight years' experience got $35,000 to $45,000, compared to $50,000 and $55,000 in Australia and Canada, in their currencies.

New Zealand is also short of about five radiation oncologists out of 27 funded positions. New Zealand's salary range of $100,000 to $170,000 compared to Australia's starting rate of $A130,000.

Health Minister Annette King confirmed yesterday thatthe latest ministry figures confirmed an expected bulge in the number of patients waiting for treatment.